-----Original Message-----
From: Amisha Harding, Blessings in a Backpack
To: Joanna Snider, Atlanta Chapter President
Sent: Fri, Mar 25, 2011 6:52 pm
Subject: Thank You
Good evening Joanna!
Thank you so very much for coming out on Monday. As I shared during the event, the visit with Hilary Duff, the financial support of FSC and the success of the Blessings in a Backpack program at Bethune would not have happened if Philoptochos had not planted the seed. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I believe you and the women of Philoptochos started a Blessings in a Backpack movement in Atlanta that I am excited to be a part of. I am confident we will be expanding into additional schools because of your investment, efforts and desire to develop the program at Bethune.
It is an absolute pleasure to work with you to support the needs of our local students, Joanna. It warms my heart to know that you and the other fantastic women of the local Philotochos have joined CIS of Atlanta and Blessings in a Backpack to meet critical needs of children you have never met. We truly appreciate you and look forward to a continued partnership with you. Thank you for believing in our young people and our work to help them overcome obstacles and succeed in school and in life.
Have a beautiful weekend Joanna and please send our love to the women of Philoptochos!
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This past summer at the National Philoptochos meetings held in Atlanta, Philoptochos donated $10,000 to “Blessings in a Backpack”
--this donation has had a far-reaching effect on one elementary school in Atlanta and generated an additional $44,000 of outside donations!
“Blessings in a Backpack” (blessingsinabackpack.org) is a program that gives kids a very special take-home backpack every Friday. They get a backpack filled with easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat food. On Monday, the kids return the backpacks, ready to learn. Then the cycle begins the next Friday.
Children who are hungry cannot effectively learn and these backpacks help at-risk children by making sure that they have healthy food over the weekend.
Philoptochos’ donations of $10,000 went to the program at Bethune Elementary School in Atlanta and assured that 125 Bethune students could participate in the “Blessings” program for one year.
In January, 2011, inspired by the work of Philoptochos with the BIAB program, an Atlanta finance corporation gave $44,000 to Blessings in a Backpack –all earmarked for Bethune Elementary.
The corporate representatives recently met with Stan Curtis, BIAB President, Bethune Elementary faculty & students & our Atlanta Annunciation Philoptochos members and presented BIAB a check for $44,000. This sum, combined with Philoptochos monies, will assure that the BIAB program can continue at Bethune Elementary for two additional years.
The Atlanta Annunciation Cathedral Philoptochos (Ypapanti) continues to be very involved with the BIAB program and since July, this chapter has raised over $5,000 in additional donations, all earmarked for students at Bethune Elementary. Chapter members have visited Bethune, met the students and packed backpacks for weekend use.
Philoptochos is truly a beloved and respected partner to the Blessings in a Backpack program as they work to erase childhood hunger in America.